Pakistan has authorized the commanders of its border posts to return fire against any future attack from NATO troops in Afghanistan, news reports said Friday, according to dpa. The directions came days after a NATO aerial attack destroyed two Pakistani border posts on November 26, killing 24 soldiers and injuring 13 more. Military chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani circulated a letter reviewing the chain of command this week, the Express Tribune and other national media reported. The new orders remove the obligation for officers to check back with headquarters before returning fire at NATO planes if they carry out hostile manoeuvres on Pakistani soil, Abdul Qayum, a retired general and defence analyst, was quoted as saying. The air raid further strained relations between Pakistan and its Western allies. In protest, Pakistan is boycotting the Bonn international conference on Afghanistan to be held on December 5.
